Symptoms of sleep disorders and objective academic performance

ObjectiveWe aimed to compare the academic performance of children with and without symptoms of sleep disorders (SSD).MethodsWe distributed 5400 questionnaires (Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children [SDSC], Brazilian version) to 7- to 10-year-old children at public elementary schools in São Paulo, Brazil. We analyzed the academic grades of Portuguese (Port) and Mathematics (Math) in 2384 children (1224 girls; 51%). Grades were assigned on a scale of 0–10 and five was considered a passing grade. Children with symptoms of sleep disorders (SSD) and symptoms of sleep-breathing disorders (SSBD) were compared to children with no symptoms of SSD (no-SSD).ResultsMean Port (6.6 ± 2.2) and Math (6.3 ± 2.2) grades were lower in children with SSD or sleep-breathing disorders (SBD) than those among children with no-SSD (Port, 7.1 ± 2.1 and Math, 7.1 ± 2.1; P < .05). Boys with SSD or SSBD had lower grades (Port, 6.4 ± 2.2 and Math, 6.1 ± 2.2) than girls (Port, 6.9 ± 2.2 and Math, 6.5 ± 2.2; P < .05). There were more children with failing Port grades with SSD or SSBD (13%) than those among children with no-SSD (9%; P < .05). Regarding Math, 25.4% of SSD or SSBD children had failing grades vs. 8.4% of children with no-SSD (P < .05).ConclusionIn our sample, children with SSD particularly SBD were at increased risk for poor academic performance in Math and Port.